It is no news that Ram is transitioning to EVs slower than rivals, but it has an exciting product on the horizon – the Ram 1500 electric truck. Ram, “the only dedicated truck and van brand,” as CEO Mike Koval Jr. proudly markets it, plans to launch its first electric truck in 2024.
Analysts feel there is immense pressure on Ram to electrify vehicles as there is a growing audience base for electric SUVs and electric trucks. By 2025, there will be about ten electric pickup trucks available on the market. The most popular of these include the Tesla Cybertruck, the Ford F-150 Lightning, and the Chevy Silverado EV. The Tesla pickup is estimated to be sitting on about one million reservations, the Ford pickup at around 200,000 reservations, and the Chevy pickup with more than 150,000 reservations.
What It Ram 1500 Electric Truck
Ram’s entry in the full-size electric pickup truck segment. Here, our artist has illustrated what the new truck could look like, based on teaser images and our sources.
Why It Matters
Full-size pickups are big business, and Ram 1500 electric truck is an award-winning choice. But Ram finds itself late to the party when it comes to an electric truck. A 2024 launch puts it behind the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra EVs, the 2022 GMC Hummer EV, and the Rivian R1T. Ram must work to stand out when it arrives.
Ram Electric Truck Specs
Design & Configuration of Ram 1500 Electric Truck
The Ram electric truck will feature a dual-cab configuration, which most automakers see as a safe, high-volume configuration for their first electric pickup trucks. The steeper windshield and lower roofline suggest that the Ram 1500 electric will have a more aerodynamic design than the ICE Ram 1500. At the front, it will have an illuminated brand logo and signature lights like a contour bottle. At the rear, we can see inverted L-shaped taillights and an illuminated brand inscription.
Rendered based on official teasers
Ram electric truck looks just as aggressive as its ICE counterpart, but not without unconventional details for futurism. For example, it features the more prominent, illuminated RAM branding at the front. The running lights on the upper and lower edges of the headlamps are in a technical design that adds to the unique road presence.
Instead of a conventional upper grille, the 1500 EV has a dark covered panel. It doesn’t need as much cooling, and closing the area can improve aerodynamics. The 1500 BEV should spend more time in the wind tunnel than any other Ram product, as the brand has promised class-leading attributes.
Unlike most EVs, the zero-emission Ram truck isn’t going for elegance. It preserves the raw, rugged character customers expect from a 1500. The massive power bulge on the hood, indented roof, the all-black lower front bumper, the chunky wheel arches and rocker panels in a black finish, and off-road tires ensure that this model looks as tough and work-ready as any Ram truck.
On the bold styling
Carlos Tavares, the CEO of Stellantis, was asked by Motor Trend in an interview about the bold styling of the Ram 1500 electric truck. He responded by stating that the brand wishes to make the electric Ram appear different from the ICE-powered version that’s presently on sale. Some Ram loyalists will be unwilling to accept the distinctive design, but the brand prefers having an EV with its own visual identity.
Platform & Powertrain
The Ram 1500 electric is due in 2024, and so it may arrive as the first model based on the STLA Frame platform, which Stellantis plans to commercialize in the middle of the same year. Another recipient of the STLA Frame is the Jeep Recon. On August 12, 2022, Koval Jr. told Muscle Cars & Trucks that the half-ton Ram electric pickup coming in 2024 “will deliver the best” in aspects that matter the most, including payload and towing.
The Ford F-150 Lightning can haul 2,235 pounds, while the Chevrolet Silverado EV will offer up to 1,300 pounds of payload capacity. The F-150 Lightning can tow up to 10,000 pounds, while the Silverado EV will be able to tow up to 20,000 pounds! It’ll be interesting to see whether Ram’s half-ton electric pickup can beat or at least match its rivals from other core American brands in these aspects as Koval Jr. has indicated. Like the F-150 Lightning, the Ram 1500 electric may come with a spare wheel below the bed.
Ram 1500 Electric Truck Concept
A concept version of the Ram 1500 electric truck will debut in November 2022. On July 28, 2022, discussing Stellantis’ H1 2022 results and providing an overview for H2 2022, Tavares revealed that the brand plans to hold a Ram Revolution event in November 2022. During the call, he confirmed that a Ram electric truck will be present at this event, which could be a near-production concept.
On April 25, 2022, the brand had indicated that a Ram 1500 electric concept will debut in fall 2022 with a post on Twitter. This was after Koval Jr. revealed to Automotive News at the 2022 New York International Auto Show that a lot of feedback Ram receives from Ram Real Talk influences the design of the Ram 1500 electric truck concept. An evolved version of the concept with road-ready changes will hit dealers in about two years.
Before Ram Revolution appeared on the website, we spotted the trademark filings at IP protection agencies in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. At the USPTO, the application says that the trademark is for “International Class 012: Motor vehicles, namely, passenger trucks.”
While the Electric Ram Promaster van is arriving in 2023 as the company’s first EV, the real gamechanger will be the 2024 electric truck. Ram hasn’t shared how many EVs it plans to launch by 2030 but has promised one launch in every segment that it operates in.
Features of Ram 1500 Electric Truck
Specific details about the features of the Ram 1500 EV aren’t out yet, but Stellantis has given hints. The electric pickup should get firmware-over-the-air (FOTA) upgrades for improved performance and efficiency throughout its lifecycle. Mamatha Chamarthi, the company’s SVP for Software Business & Product, has suggested that software-enabled performance upgrades will be available after the delivery.
Locally-Sourced Batteries
The Ram 1500 EV will utilize batteries that are manufactured in North America. On March 23, 2021, Stellantis announced it will create a lithium-ion battery production plant in Windsor (Ontario), Canada, in partnership with LG Energy Solution. The annual production capacity of this facility will be 45-gigawatt hours. Production will start by Q1 2024 (January-March 2024). Stellantis and LG Energy Solution will invest CAD 5 billion (USD 3.8 billion) in this facility.
On May 24, 2022, Stellantis announced it will set up a lithium-ion battery production plant in the United States in a joint venture with Samsung SDI. Located in Kokomo, Indiana, this plant will have an annual production capacity of 23 GWh initially and a potential to scale up to 33 GWh at a later stage. Operations will start in 2025 if everything goes as planned. A joint investment of over USD 2.5 billion will go into this factory. Either of the two plants should supply the Ram electric truck.
RAM 1500 Range Extender Version in Development
STLA Frame models, including the RAM 1500 electric, will optionally be available with a range extender system. The range-extender solution will help Stellantis pitch its more eco-friendly models to truck customers with range anxiety and requirements for customers who use the truck mostly in remote locations where charging poles are uncommon.
On March 1, 2022, outlining Stellantis’ long-term strategic plan, Tavares talked about the 1500 EV. He suggested that another 1500 alternative powertrain vehicle is in the pipeline. That could be a 1500 EV with a range extender solution.
The range-extender EVs will offer a range at the same level as a pickup with a traditional powertrain and have no compromise on the key characteristics, be it payload or cargo volume. Patrice Lucas, Cross Line & Project Engineering, Stellantis, hinted the same at the Stellantis EV Day 2021 on July 8, 2021.
Electric trucks experience massive energy loss while towing heavy loads, reducing range significantly. With the EV charging infrastructure still developing, owners are at risk of getting stranded if they don’t plan their trips to remote locations well. Hence, it makes sense for Ram to offer the internal combustion engine as an option in the work-truck variants, while the primary drivetrain would still be electric.
A hybrid system would ensure that towing duties are supported by the ICE powertrain without range anxiety. Even if drivers run out of charge, they can rely on the gas engine to get to nearby charging stations.
Ram 1500 Electric Truck Charging & Range
Ram hasn’t revealed the features or specifications of the 1500 EV. It had confirmed in 2021 that the EV would feature fast charging at up to 150 kW, dynamic range mapping, charge station locator, EV dynamic trip energy prediction, smartphone controls, smart charging/vehicle preconditioning, and drive modes.
150 kW is today’s DC fast-charging rate, and the specification is available in the basic F-150 Lightning that goes on sale this spring. Tesla is already at 250 kW, while GM’s is further ahead, at 350 kW (supported in GMC Hummer EV Pickup Edition 1). Ram needs to do better at charging speeds if its electric pickup has to hold its appeal in 2024, and the brand has heard customer calls!
While talking about the 1500 EV on March 1, 2022, Tavares suggested that the engineering team had upgraded the electrical system. He said that the 1500 EV would have a better charging time than its competitors.
During his conversation with Muscle Cars & Trucks in August 2022, Koval Jr. said that the Ram electric truck will be the best at range and charge time as well. Buyers waiting for the truck would hope that it delivers a range of well over 400 miles and supports DC fast-charging at up to 350 kW like the Silverado EV.
RAM E-Technologies
- Power & Torque
- Fuel Economy
- On-board power
- Unique style/proportion
- All the driving characteristics of BEVs with real-world range and flexibility
2024 RAM 1500 EV Price
Ford set the benchmark for pricing high-volume electric full-size pickups in 2021, which General Motors bettered in 2022. However, the Blue Oval lost it to the Golden Bowtie after the price of its F-150 Lightning shot up from USD 39,974 to USD 46,974 with the MY2023 update. The Chevrolet Silverado EV (Work Truck), priced from USD 39,900, is much more affordable now.
We feel that Ram would price the 1500 electric from around USD 40,000 for competitiveness. Ford and Chevrolet, in the meantime, will find ways to make their offerings affordable as battery costs fall and production volume improves. The competition will also include the GMC Sierra Denali electric pickup truck and a Toyota electric pickup truck.
The Ram 1500 Electric would be about two years late entering the electric pickup segment compared to chief rivals F-150 Lightning and the Cybertruck. At the Stellantis EV Day 2021, UBS analyst Patrick Hummel asked Tavares if the company’s best-selling pickup could lose substantial market share due to the delay. In response, Tavares defended the plan saying it was right on the timing.
In a virtual fireside chat at the Morgan Stanley 8th Annual Auto 2.0 Conference on January 5, 2022, Tavares yet again defended the brand’s electrification timeline. Ram will be late to the party as far as electric vehicles go, but it’s not all bad news for the company. It has a leg up because it can upgrade its EVs based on what competitors do.
Ram 1500 EV Reservations
During the Q&A session Stellantis held after presenting its long-term strategic plan on March 1, 2022, an analyst asked whether Ram could take 1500 EV orders 12-18 months before starting delivery as Ford and GM are doing with their electric trucks. Tavares replied that the 1500 EV will be available to order before its launch, probably significantly before the start of production, but would decide when it is appropriate to open order books.
Tavares revealed that Stellantis includes the Tesla Cybertruck in the list of Ram 1500 EV rivals when it says that the latter “will outperform all competitors.” The 1500 EV has to be highly competitive because it won’t be the first electric model in its segment, the CEO admitted.
Ram to Continue Using the Internal Combustion Engine
The launch of the RAM 1500 EV won’t mean the end for gas- and diesel-powered RAM 1500 models. In an interview with YouTube channel Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk at the New York International Auto Show in April 2022, Koval Jr. indicated that Ram doesn’t want to force EVs onto customers. In addition to suggesting the continued use of internal combustion engines, he suggested a 1500 EV range extender model.
Ram Revolution
Earlier in 2022, Ram launched a new marketing campaign that involves customers and enthusiasts in creating future Ram models, including EVs – Ram Revolution. The company has launched a dedicated Ram Revolution page on its U.S. website (ramtrucks.com/revolution), where interested people can sign up and participate. It conducts ‘Ram Real Talk’ events where they can voice their opinions that help shape the future of the Ram lineup.